BYD shows charging station in Abu Dhabi with robotic arm that plugs in the cable automatically

Chinese electric car maker BYD has demonstrated a new charging technology at an event in Abu Dhabi, in which the driver does not need to touch the charging cable. The station has a built-in robotic arm that plugs into the electric car by itself, which could make charging more convenient. Timelines and costs for commercial use are not yet known.

How the arm works

Using a visual recognition system and several sensors, the arm locates the car's charging socket, opens the cover, inserts the plug and disconnects it once charging is finished. The solution is designed not only for the Chinese market but also for various international charging connector standards.

Solar power and batteries

The robotic arm was presented as part of BYD's Solar-Storage-Charging system, which combines solar energy, battery storage and fast charging. The architecture links rooftop solar panels with a buffer battery system, so the station can operate autonomously or relieve the local power grid during peak hours. During the demonstration, total system output reached 1,000 kW, or 1 MW.

The company's "Flash Charging" platform is expected in future to deliver up to 1,500 kW per connection point. With new-generation "Blade" batteries, that would allow charging from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes.

Automatic parking

In the demonstration, the solution was combined with an autonomous parking function. The driver only has to step out at the station, and a compatible vehicle drives itself into the charging bay, where the robot makes the connection.

Network expansion

BYD is actively expanding its "Flash Charging" network. The company plans to install 20,000 stations in China by the end of 2026 and later expand to Europe. Deployment timelines and costs of the robotic arm for commercial use have not yet been disclosed.